Cowboys can honor Brown best by listening to Carr

Column by Tom Orsborn

Updated 7:35 pm, Saturday, December 15, 2012

Photo: Jeff Roberson, Associated Press

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A man wears a shirt with a picture of Jerry Brown, a linebacker on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad, as another person holds a program for Brown's funeral service outside Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012, in St. Louis. Brown was killed in a car accident on Dec. 8, that left his teammate and friend, Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent, facing a manslaughter charge for allegedly driving drunk. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

A man wears a shirt with a picture of Jerry Brown, a linebacker on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad, as another person holds a program for Brown's funeral service outside Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church

Mourners hug outside Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church at the end of a funeral for Jerry Brown, a linebacker on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012, in St. Louis. Brown was killed in a car accident on Dec. 8, that left his teammate and friend, Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent, facing a manslaughter charge for allegedly driving drunk. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Mourners hug outside Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church at the end of a funeral for Jerry Brown, a linebacker on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012, in St. Louis. Brown was killed in a

Mourners file into Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church before the start of a funeral for Jerry Brown, a linebacker on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012, in St. Louis. Brown was killed in a car accident on Dec. 8, that left his teammate and friend, Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent, facing a manslaughter charge for allegedly driving drunk. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Mourners file into Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church before the start of a funeral for Jerry Brown, a linebacker on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012, in St. Louis. Brown was killed

Mourners hug outside Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church at the end of a funeral for Jerry Brown, a linebacker on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012, in St. Louis. Brown was killed in a car accident on Dec. 8, that left his teammate and friend, Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent, facing a manslaughter charge for allegedly driving drunk. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Mourners hug outside Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church at the end of a funeral for Jerry Brown, a linebacker on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012, in St. Louis. Brown was killed in a

A casket containing the body of Jerry Brown, a linebacker on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad, is wheeled out of Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church during his funeral Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012, in St. Louis. Brown was killed in a car accident on Dec. 8, that left his teammate and friend, Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent, facing a manslaughter charge for allegedly driving drunk. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

A casket containing the body of Jerry Brown, a linebacker on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad, is wheeled out of Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church during his funeral Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012, in St. Louis.

Dallas Cowboys and former San Antonio Talons linebacker Jerry Brown, who died in a car crash.

Dallas Cowboys and former San Antonio Talons linebacker Jerry Brown, who died in a car crash.

Photo: PRWeb

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Cowboys can honor Brown best by listening to Carr

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ARLINGTON — Aware that many beat reporters don't much spend much time around practice-squad players, Tony Romo took it upon himself last Sunday afternoon in Cincinnati to introduce them to Jerry Brown.

“Jerry was an upbeat, happy guy who had ability and was coming on and doing great in practice,” the quarterback said of the late linebacker after guiding the Cowboys to 10 points in the final 6 minutes, 35 seconds for a dramatic 20-19 win over the Bengals.

“He had a big smile and loved to play the game. I know you guys didn't get a chance to see him much, but he embodies what you want in a football player with the way he came (to work) every day. I loved to talk to him and tell him, 'You keep doing what you're doing, and you're going to be on the field.'

“... You think about Jerry's spirit. A lot of guys are going to miss Jerry.”

Brown was with Dallas for less than two months, but it was apparent by the emotion displayed by his teammates and coaches at Paul Brown Stadium and in the days afterward that he made a positive impression in his short time at Valley Ranch.

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While the 25-year-old St. Louis native is gone forever after being killed in a drunk-driving accident in which police say nose tackle Josh Brent was at the wheel, the Cowboys can do something to keep his spirit alive, and that's continue to play with the same determination and poise they displayed down the stretch in Cincinnati.

“I try to get a positive out of everything,” the former Kansas City cornerback said when asked what he has learned from losing two teammates — Chiefs linebacker and murder/suicide victim Jovan Belcher being the first — in one week.

“I don't try to question God in his ways and what He does. I just think that for us who are still alive and blessed to be on this Earth, God is telling you that you are blessed to have this day. He wants people to make the best of their days: Change a life, impact a life in the right way, carpe diem.

“It's so true. You never know when your time is up and your name is called to see (God). This time on this Earth, take advantage of it. Try to do the right thing.”

Brown's mother, Stacey Jackson, delivered a similar message to the Cowboys at her son's memorial service in Oak Cliff.

“One of the things she told us was to live every day, let this be inspiring to us to do great things,” defensive end Jason Hatcher said.

For more than two years, Jason Garrett has preached to the players the wisdom of living in the moment and of making the most of the gifts they've been given. Sadly, that message was underscored by Brown's death on an Irving highway early last Saturday morning.

Will the tragedy spark the Cowboys into a playoff-clinching, season-closing winning streak? In 2007, the Redskins gained a postseason berth by winning five of their last six games, including their last four in a row, after the murder of safety Sean Taylor.

With all of the Cowboys' injuries, the odds are stacked against them running the table. But what if they continue to play for something bigger than themselves like they did against the Bengals?

“It was a rough one, but I think this is something for us to build on,” guard Nate Livings told ESPNDallas.com. “To be honest with you, it's going to make us stronger. ... I feel like it brought us together.”

Said Garrett: “We stayed strong for Jerry Brown.”

If they want to continue to honor Brown, they should listen to Carr and seize the day by being as good as they can be on and off the field.